Upton Bobcats Dominate Burlington in First Round of 1A State Tournament

(This story was prepared by NLJ Publisher Bob Bonnar with the assistance of artificial intelligence.)

The Upton Bobcats made a statement in their opening game of the 1A State Basketball Tournament, overpowering the Burlington Huskies 69-32 at the Ford Wyoming Center on Thursday evening.

From the opening tip, Upton took control, surging to an 18-10 lead by the end of the first quarter and never looking back. The Bobcats extended their lead to 36-19 at halftime behind efficient shooting and a smothering defensive effort. Burlington struggled to find any rhythm offensively, managing just 22.4% from the field for the game.

Jackson Evans led the charge for Upton, pouring in 17 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting, including four three-pointers. Nic Schiller was dominant inside, recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Rhett Watt matched the rebounding effort with 10 boards of his own to go along with 14 points. Logan Timberman also contributed 13 points, four rebounds, and three steals, helping Upton maintain a balanced attack.

Chord Toth added a three-pointer off the bench, while Carson Barritt chipped in three points and three rebounds. Keanu Duarte provided valuable minutes with four points and a steal, while Ben Carpenter played strong defense and grabbed three rebounds despite going scoreless. Landon Butler and Will Bowen also contributed on the defensive end, helping Upton dominate in stops and transition play.

The Bobcats' defense was relentless, forcing 21 turnovers and converting them into 28 points. Burlington, on the other hand, struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 2-of-17 three-point attempts. Weston Gotfredson was the lone bright spot for the Huskies, leading his team with nine points and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Jordan Casey and Joe Bassett each added five points for Burlington, but offensive consistency was an issue throughout the game.

Upton's second-half efficiency sealed the victory, as they shot a scorching 54.2% from the field after halftime while holding Burlington to just four points in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats also won the rebounding battle, nearly matching the Huskies with a total of 36 boards.

With the dominant win, Upton advances to the semifinals, where they will look to continue their championship pursuit against the winner of the late night game between Cokeville and Lusk. That semifinal game is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Burlington, meanwhile, will try to regroup against the loser of that contest in the consolation bracket on Friday afternoon.

Friday’s other semifinal will pit Little Snake River against LIngle-Fort Laramie, while the other consolation game will match Southeast against Encampment.